I respect traditions, you can't walk all over them, but at the

Hear the wisdom spoken by Motsi Mabuse, whose words ring with both reverence and courage: “I respect traditions, you can't walk all over them, but at the same time our world is changing. Life is about moving on.” These words stand as a bridge between past and future, a song of balance between the roots that anchor us and the winds that drive us forward. They carry the ancient tension that has dwelled in every age: how to honor the ways of those before us, yet not be bound by them when the world calls us to rise anew.

The ancients themselves wrestled with this struggle. Tradition was the keeper of memory, the guardian of identity. Through custom, the wisdom of elders was passed to the young, and communities found strength in the rituals that bound them together. Yet too often, tradition hardened into stone, becoming chains rather than guides. Mabuse’s words remind us that traditions must be respected, but they must not become prisons. One can bow in gratitude to the past while still lifting one’s eyes to the dawn of tomorrow.

Consider the tale of the Israelites in the wilderness. They carried with them the traditions of their fathers, the laws given to Moses, the rituals of sacrifice. These gave them identity and strength. Yet when they clung too tightly to old ways, building idols of gold, they were rebuked and forced to move forward. The lesson was clear: honor the roots, but do not worship them. To be faithful is not to be stagnant, but to walk ever onward toward the promised land. Life is about moving on.

History too gives us the example of Japan. For centuries, the nation preserved its traditions with fierce devotion—its arts, its rituals, its codes of honor. Yet when the modern world pressed upon it in the nineteenth century, Japan faced a choice: cling to the old ways entirely, or adapt while holding fast to its spirit. The Meiji Restoration became the turning point: Japan transformed into a modern nation, not by abandoning its soul, but by carrying its traditions into new forms. In this way, the nation honored the past while stepping boldly into the future.

Mabuse’s words teach us that the sacred art is balance. To “walk all over” tradition is to sever our roots, leaving us adrift, without memory or anchor. But to cling too tightly to the past is to resist the living flow of time, to wither while the world blossoms anew. Life, she reminds us, is change—unceasing, unstoppable. To live is to move on, and to move on is to carry with us the spirit of tradition, refined and purified, not discarded.

The lesson for us is this: when faced with change, do not despise tradition, but neither let it paralyze you. Instead, take from it the wisdom, the values, the essence that endures, and release the forms that no longer serve. Just as the river respects the stones that shape its banks, yet still flows forward, so must we honor the past while embracing the future. Respect and renewal—these are the twin paths of the wise.

Practical steps can guide us. Listen to the elders, for they hold treasures of memory. Learn the customs, for they connect you to the story of your people. But when new opportunities arise, do not fear to step forward. Adapt, create, and grow, while carrying the spirit of tradition within you like a flame. In your family, in your work, in your culture—be both guardian and innovator, rooted yet reaching.

For remember: the tree that honors its roots grows strongest, but it must also stretch toward the sky. Tradition without movement is decay; change without respect is chaos. True wisdom lies in weaving them together, so that in moving on, we do not lose ourselves, but rather find a greater wholeness. Respect the past, embrace the future, and walk onward in strength.